Death

[AJ+smile]

Again, I have a ?. As a new student, how do you prepare yourself for the death of your patient. It has been over 10 years since I have worked on the medical floor. I haven't experienced death yet, but have heard of other students that have. Is there any information that will or can prepare me in the future?

[Italia13 RN]

Hmm... My first experience with death happened a few weeks ago. I was doing my rotation in an ER (where I will be working when I graduate) and a code came in. Me and the other nursing student ended up doing chest compressions in the middle of the code and of course I was the last one to do them and when I stopped the Dr. Called it. It sucked. You tried everything you could, but no matter what everyone did nothing can save this lady. While doing post mortum care be aware that when you roll them over they usually make a noise and/or throw up... my lady may a noise like a sound of relief (and of course the nurses tried tricking me to say she was still alive and go and get the dr just because I was a student and they knew I didn't know anything and they like to play jokes...esp on students) When you experience your first time with death you will never forget it, I know I wont.

[2bNurse Elizabeth]

I can't imagine how awful it must have been to have a nurse try to play a joke like that, trying to make you think the patient was still alive. How incredibly immature and juvenile!

I'm not sure that one can ever be prepared for death. I guess the way I'll try is to always make sure that I've done everything I can to do a good job for the patient so I'll know that there's nothing I could have done differently to bring about a better outcome.